Zebulon, GA (November 18, 2013) World of Outlaws Late Models Series standout Shane Clanton’s 2013 season came to a close after the ‘World Finals’ at the Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC and the World of Outlaws Banquet that was held at the Great Wolf Lodge on Sunday, November 10.
Clanton kicked off his 2013 season in January during the ‘Wild West Shootout’ at Central Arizona Speedway and the ‘Winter Extreme’ events at Tucson (AZ) International Speedway where Clanton captured his first win of the season. From out west it was on to the Georgia/Florida Speedweeks where the 2013 World of Outlaws Late Models season got under way at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, GA. Shane blasted his way to his first World of Outlaws win of the season in the $8,000 to-win opener and finished second the following night giving him a share of the championship points lead heading into the Florida portion of speedweeks.
While in Florida, the World of Outlaws regulars had six events between Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala and Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville. Clanton rattled off six straight top ten finishes during that stretch and left the Sunshine State just 18 markers back of point leader Josh Richards. After the month of March was washed out by rain, Shane picked up where he left off with a fourth place finish in the $20,000 to-win ‘Illini 100’ at Farmer City (IL) Speedway putting him two points behind the championship point leader.
Early April weather provided another off weekend for the World of Outlaws boys which sent Clanton to Paducah (KY) International Raceway and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 for the inaugural National Dirt Racing League events that was started by car owner John Kennedy. Shane had a less than desirable weekend with finishes of 16th and ninth with the new series.
Clanton picked up his second World of Outlaws win of the season on April 26 at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN just before winning his third World of Outlaws event at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, AR on May 11. Clanton continued his strong and consistent finishes with the World of Outlaws through the month of May and June with only one finish outside the top-ten through that stretch including another win at Stateline Speedway in Busti, NY on June 1.
Despite Shane’s consistent finishes, he remained second in the championship battle to begin the ‘Wild West Tour’ with the World of Outlaws. Clanton continued to rack up top-ten finishes but other championship contenders were picking up wins and top-five’s leaving Clanton third in the standings after the ‘Wild West Tour’. A busy month of August was on tap for Shane as the World of Outlaws tour had ten events scheduled throughout the month. Again Shane was consistent posting nine top-ten finishes in the ten August World of Outlaws events and found himself back in second of the championship point standings.
Clanton picked up his sixth win of the season in September during World 100 preliminary action at the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH but a heat race altercation during Saturday’s main event put Shane behind the rest of the night and left him with a disappointing 27th place finish in the year’s premier event. The following week, after a strong second place finish at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, IL put him within striking distance of World of Outlaws point leader Josh Richards and over 40 points ahead of third place Darrell Lanigan. A part malfunction during pace laps of the following night’s action at I-55 led to a 26th place finish, Clanton’s worst finish of the season and dropped him into a tie with Lanigan for second in points, 114 points out of first.
Shane picked up two more wins through the closing months of the season, one at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL and the $15,000 to-win ‘Fall Classic’ at Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS before making a last ditched effort to claim the second spot in the World of Outlaws championship point standings at the ‘World Finals’ at the Dirt Track at Charlotte. Clanton’s finishes of 16th and eighth left him two points shy of Darrell Lanigan while Josh Richards claimed his third World of Outlaws Late Models Series championship.
‘I have to start off by thanking my wife,’ Shane said at the World of Outlaws Late Models Series banquet at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC. ‘I also have to thank my car owner John Kennedy, if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing here today. To have two teams out on the road like he’s got, it’s tough, but he’s done so much for the sport and has a passion to go a lot further.’ Shane continued, ‘I have to thank Capital Race Cars and Marshall Green, him and I teamed up a couple years ago to build race cars and it’s tough. It’s tough building cars to compete with the best race teams in the business, the two teams sitting here in front of us (Mark Richards Enterprises and Darrell Lanigan Racing) are the toughest two teams in late model racing by far. All of our sponsors, Clemens Power, Hoosier Race Tires, VP Race Fuels, Core Construction, Integra Shocks and every one of our sponsors. Without all of you we couldn’t do this.’
Clanton finishes the season with 79 total starts, 60 top-ten finishes, 33 top-five finishes and eight total wins. For a full list of Shane’s results please visit www.kennedymotorsports.us.
For more information on Shane Clanton and the Kennedy Motorsports team please visit www.kennedymotorsports.us.
Kennedy Motorsports would like to thank their sponsors for the 2013 season: Kennedy Partners Racing, Facility Ganagement Group, Core Construction, Capital Race Cars, VP Racing Fuels, Keyser Manufacturing Inc., Ironco Enterprises, LLC, B3 Architecture + Planning, Urban Energy Solutions UES, GW Performance, JNJ Motorsports Media, Clements Racing Engines, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts & Decals, Integra Shocks, Integra MX Springs, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Hoosier Tire South, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Calipers, Sweet Manufacturing, Peterson Fluid Systems, Schaeffer’s Oil, G&R Auto Parts, TWM Racing Products, Turbo Start, FK Rod Ends, ATL Fuel Cells, Five Star Bodies, Bulldog Rearends, Cizmar, Bert Transmissions, BMRS Hoses & Fittings, Simpson Race Products, Mason Racin’, and Joe Gibbs Racing Oil.
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